Writing workshop 2 – Paragraph Development

1. A well-written paragraph fully develops the main idea introduced in the topic sentence. It
should not include information unrelated to the main idea. Read the following paragraph and
answer the questions below:

If asked, many people will tell stories of how frightened their dogs are during a
thunderstorm. I have not heard any stories about cats, though I assume they are
similarly affected. Our dog, Simon, goes into a panic when the thunder starts. He
even seems to know then a thunderstorm is coming. When there is one in the
middle of the night, he is in such bad shape that we have to let him into our
bedroom. We turn the light on and try to comfort him, but nothing we do stops
him from shaking and howling. One moment he is pawing at the door trying to
get out; the next moment he is back at the door trying to get in. When the storm
sounds like it is starting to end, he crawls under the bed, where he spends the
rest of the night. There is nothing we can do to move him. I wonder if anyone has
ever observed the reactions of wild deer in a thunderstorm.

a) What is the main idea of the paragraph?

b) What is the topic sentence?
c) How many sentences in the paragraph are unrelated to the main idea? Cross these
sentences out.

2. The information included to support the main idea of a paragraph should be in a logical order.
Read the two paragraphs below. The language is the same in both paragraphs, but the information
is ordered differently. Decide which paragraph is more logical, and therefore, more effective.

A.
How could I ever forget my first day on the job as a pharmacist? At about ten
o’clock in the morning, a man walked in and asked how long it would take to fill
his doctor’s prescription for a very strong painkiller. It may seem strange that I
was suspicious in the first place, but the prescription was too legible to have been
written by a doctor. I took one look, asked the man to return in the afternoon,
and phoned the doctor to find out if he had written the prescription. Both the
doctor and I agreed that the man must have forged the prescription. When the
doctor refused, the man stole the prescription pad. It turned out the man had
visited the doctor’s office the day before, complaining of various pains, and had
asked the doctor to give him a prescription for the medicine.

B.
How could I ever forget my first day on the job as a pharmacist? At about ten
o’clock in the morning, a man walked in and asked how long it would take to fill
his doctor’s prescription for a very strong painkiller. I took one look, asked the
man to return in the afternoon, and phoned the doctor to find out if he had
written the prescription. It turned out the man had visited the doctor’s office the
day before, complaining of various pains, and had asked the doctor to give him a
prescription for the medicine. When the doctor refused, the man stole the
prescription pad. Both the doctor and I agreed that the man must have forged the
prescription. It may seem strange that I was suspicious in the first place, but the
prescription was too legible to have been written by a doctor.

Adapted from Finishing Touches by Samuela Eckstut-Didier

Writing workshop 2 – Paragraph Development

3. Read the paragraph below and choose the correct answers to the questions below:

Though among the best-educated people in the world there are more and more
women, in many countries they are still treated like second-class citizens.
Traditional values discourage women from appearing outspoken or independent-
minded and demoralize those who try to climb the political or business
hierarchies. There are countries where only one-fourth of major corporations
have any women at all in the middle-management or higher ranks. The average
woman’s annual income may amount to only half that of a man’s. Why then
aren’t women in such countries angry?

A. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

1) Among the best-educated people in the world there are more and more women.
2) In many countries women are still treated like second-class citizens.
3) Women do not have top positions in companies.

B. What information does the writer give to support the main idea? Note: there is more than one
answer.
1) More and more women are among the best educated people in the world.
2) In many countries women are still treated like second-class citizens.
3) Women do not have top positions in companies.
4) In some countries it is not proper for women to express their opinions and ideas freely.
5) In some countries people do not think it is important for women to be successful in
business or politics.
6) Women and men in many countries do not make the same amount of money.
7) Women are not angry about this injustice.

C. How many pieces of information does the writer give to support the main idea?
1) One
2) Two
3) Four

4. A well-written paragraph in English usually contains at least three pieces of information to

support the main idea. Choose one of the main ideas below. Write down in a note form at least
three pieces of information that will support this main idea.

Example: Equality at home.

1. No difference for sons and daughters when talking about careers
2. Sons and daughters all help in the house
3. Sons and daughters learn the same skills at home

a) Disadvantages (or advantages) for children when both parents work.

b) Disadvantages (or advantages) of not getting married until you are 30 years old.
c) Disadvantages (or advantages) of being an only child.

Adapted from Finishing Touches by Samuela Eckstut-Didier

Writing workshop 2 – Paragraph Development

d) Why some people prefer to have sons rather than daughters (or prefer to have daughters rather
than sons).

5. Write a topic sentence for the main idea you chose in Exercise above. Then use your notes to
write a paragraph about the main idea.

Example: In this paragraph a successful female politician writes about one aspect of her childhood.

Considering the traditional values of the society in which I grew up, I think I was
very lucky that my parents had an advanced sense of equality. When there was
discussion at home about out future, there was no difference between my
potential career prospects and those of my four brothers. What is more, my
brothers did a great deal of work around the house when I was growing up, I
mean, they all washed dishes and helped clean the house, and it was never an
issue. Nor did I ever have any sense that there were typical things girls did and
typical things boys did. When my father taught us how to fix the family car, he
taught all five of us. It was probably because of this upbringing that I had a self-
confidence that I think was somewhat unusual. I do not ever remember having
doubts about whether I could do things just because I was a girl.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Adapted from Finishing Touches by Samuela Eckstut-Didier

Writing workshop 2 – Paragraph Development

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

ANSWER KEY:

Exercise 1
a) My dog is scared of thunderstorms.
b) If asked, many people will tell stories of how frightened their dogs are during a
thunderstorm.
c) Two:
1. I have not heard any stories about cats, though I assume they are similarly affected.
2. I wonder if anyone has ever observed the reactions of wild deer in a
thunderstorm.

Exercise 2
Paragraph B is better organized.

Exercise 3
A. 2) In many countries women are still treated like second-class citizens.
B. 3) Women do not have top positions in companies.
4) In some countries it is not proper for women to express their opinions and ideas freely.
5) In some countries people do not think it is important for women to be successful in
business or politics.
6) Women and men in many countries do not make the same amount of money.
C. 3) Four

Adapted from Finishing Touches by Samuela Eckstut-Didier